Socks on the Run

I swear there's been some knitting in my life but I'm not really coming up with any FOs lately. I've been busy with a bunch of Swiffer covers ...


... and I'm about to block a shawl which I will post about soon.

Life has been a bit crazy and I've been laying low trying (somewhat successfully) to keep my home a peaceful sanctuary from the general decompensating that seems to happen during the Spring/Summer transition. But for now here are some socks as we count down the final days of school (6!) and the days until we leave for Norway (9!).



These are for Nora and she loves the way they look with Luna's golden coat! I knit these basic top down socks with a heel flap and a kitchner toe. I tried to do a short row heel, but found that it seemed to make the "bend" for Nora's foot too small and she couldn't get them on comfortably -- was this due to poor technique? or is there really more room with a heel flap?


This yarn will be great for her sweaty feet since, as most of you know, it's 50% superwash wool, 25% soysilk, 22.5% cotton, and 2.5% chitin -- and naturally anti-bacterial. For knitting up, it was splitty.

I hope to have a shawl to show you soon!

I Wanna Be Popular!

One of my favorite features in Ravelry is searching the most popular patterns. It is surprising, because I generally eschew the popular for the obscure and unique. But in knitting, patterns are popular for very good reasons: a simple stitch pattern used to good effect (Jaywalkers), a universally flattering sweater (Hourglass), or it is just plain cool to knit (Clapotis).

I was looking down the list of popular socks, and I was surprised to find many great sock patterns that I had not yet knit. So in my constant search to keep up with the popular kids, I knit a pair of Hederas in honor of Project Spectrum's EARTH element.


I used Shibui sock yarn and let's just say it once and for all: Shibui pools. Big wedge-shaped striped pooling. On the lace portions of the sock, it isn't so noticeable, but look at the sole:

Yeah. That's some pooling.

Hedera socks are one of those patterns that are popular for a good reason: the stitch pattern is easy to memorize, and it creates a pretty sock. The only modification I made was to shorten the heel flap, which I think was written for a very high instep.

I'm thinking my next sock might be Charades, yet another popular sock pattern.

Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks

The rain for the past two days has forced me out of the garden and back inside the house to find piles of unwashed laundry, no groceries in the fridge, and emails left unread. I'm almost caught up, but I have a number of FOs to post. Let's start with the absolute cutest baby present I've knit in a while. This will be the first of many knitted objects for this little child. Her family has been though more than their share of grief and her arrival brings great joy into our little part of the world.

This picture best captures the actual color.

Pattern: Better-Than-Booties Braided Cable Baby Socks by Ann Budd in Interweave Knits, Summer 2005
Yarn: Spirit Trail Fiberworks 100% superwash Merino
Needles: US 0s
Notes: See the color? I'm finally knitting something appropriate for Project Spectrum!

I'm not crazy about a short row heel. In fact, I strongly dislike them. I had to do two per sock -- the toe is a short row heel. I could live without that, however it was a good lesson for me. (Ugh.) After the short row toe, you do a zig zag bind-off instead of grafting. I don't think I achieved the look of the zig and the zag, but it's nice. Don't try this on any socks that you would wear in shoes since it would probably be uncomfortable.


I can't wait to knit up a BSJ for her for the Fall!

Fire and Earth

The third edition of Project Spectrum has just transitioned from the element of Fire to Earth, and as usual, I am a few days behind.


Pattern: Primavera Socks
Yarn & Needles: Trekking XXL, US2 & US1 needles
Rav info here

In a world full of delicious sock yarns, it was with some relief that I relegated Trekking to my "not for me" yarns. I had used it twice, and really suffered through the last pair in August 2006. I found it splitty and rough, and too thin for my tastes. As you can see, though, I've had a change of heart, and I am pleased to welcome Trekking back into my stash. Having knit more than 30 pairs of socks in the last couple of years, I have developed genuine affection for workhorse sock yarns, like Regia, Jawoll, and Trekking. Socks made from these yarns really do stand up to hard wear, and do not need to be treated with special care in the wash. As the chief (well, only) laundress in our household, I do appreciate that. I've also gotten used to knitting at fine gauges, so the thinness does not bother me as much anymore.

I do have these socks of Nova's to thank for the inspiration to give Trekking another go. I just loved the colorway instantly, and bought it the first chance I had. Project Spectrum provided the perfect excuse to get it on the needles and the Primavera pattern is a great match for the yarn.

Once I finished the Primavera socks, I moved on to a couple of skeins of Shibui yarn in a nice, mossy green for my first Earth project, Hedera socks. I'm much further along than the picture below shows, thanks for daily swimmming lessons for both kids.

And, without planning it at all, I realized that my current sweater WIP (Rav link) fits beautifully into the Earth element, as it is being knitted with the gorgeous Karabella Aurora 8 in the Anthracite colorway. I'll either finish this sweater this weekend or force it into hibernation until fall, in favor of another project I'd like to have done by MDSW!

Sock Spirit

My last pair of socks were a disappointment, so I was in need of some sock redemption. I wanted to knit a pair of red socks in honor of Project Spectrum 3.0, and with MDSW only a month and a half away, and I've been feeling the pressure to knit more of the yarn I bought there last year.

I chose Spirit Trail Fiberworks Brigit in a beautiful burgundy semi-solid, and once I learned from their website that Brigit is the "Celtic goddess of fire, illumination and guardian of bards, associated with handcrafts of all kinds, creative muse," I knew I had unwittingly stumbled on the perfect MDSW purchase with which to celebrate the Fire element. Combined with the super-simple Nutkin pattern, I have achieved sock redemption.

Red is a bitch to photograph, but this represents the color best

I would encourage anyone to knit the Nutkin socks; they should be the next Monkeys. The simple lace pattern is easy to memorize, but makes for a dramatic effect. It does bias a bit on the leg, but I haven't found it to be uncomfortable. Also, the pattern calls for a YO short row heel, and while I usually choose a heel flap, I tried the heel as described in the pattern, and for the first time ever, I managed a short row heel without holes. Call this a strong recommendation for a easy yet dramatic pattern that teaches you a new technique.

I'm sure many knitters are beginning to consider their MDSW 2008 purchases, and I would recommend this yarn as well. It is a superwash merino, with no nylon, but the tight twist makes it feel more durable than I would expect. The colors are rich and deeply saturated, and the yardage is great as well. Spend some time exploring their website; while the photographs so not do this yarn justice at all, learning about their mission to protect endangered and rare species of sheep convinced me that this is one yarn vendor I want to support. I have another skein of their Elizabeth I in the stash from last year, and will make it a point to stop by their booth again this year to try out a few more of their yarns.


I'm way behind on my blogging; expect a parade of FO posts this week if I actually get around to blogging.

Sproingless

My first pair of socks in 2008 have left me decidedly underwhelmed. They're knitted with the new Noro Kureyon Sock, and it didn't much like it. I've previously really enjoyed knitting with Noro yarns, but this is not what I am looking for in a sock yarn.

My main gripe is that the yarn has no elasticity whatsoever, so it makes very baggy socks. If you like that sort of thing (Marnie, I'm looking at you!), then this is the yarn for you. I, however, prefer a snug-fitting, no-droop sock.

So basically, its just your basic 64-stitch stockinette sock with a heel flap. The colors are pretty and the socks are warm, and I don't find them scratchy either. I just prefer some sproing in my sock yarn, and I'm sorry to say that Noro Sock is sproingless. So you won't be seeing me use Noro Sock again, because my stash is too big for me to use a sock yarn that doesn't have sproing.

Warming Up

It's taken me a bit of time (over a week) to get around to posting after our family trip up to see The BackBou's folks in the Mad River Valley. I love Vermont in the winter with the cold temperatures and deep snow (one morning I was up snowshoeing before 7am and it was -1 Fahrenheit!). This state was made for handknit socks. I can only handle it for so long however. I was ready to get home to my blooms in the garden and lighter jackets.

Just before our trip, I realized that I had no really warm hat for R. I dipped into my leftover bin and found tons of O-Wool Classic. Here's what I came up with (sorry the pictures of the hat really aren't very good) ...


Pattern: My own
Yarn: O-Wool Classic
Needles: US 7s
Notes: I made it way too big, tore it out, and made it just a bit too big. When we got home, I washed it and dried it. It shrunk up just perfectly and now it fits and it really, really warm.



These pictures aren't very good, you can't really see the pink stripe in the middle of the green nor the blue ear flaps. I'll try to get a better picture when the temps drop again this week.

It was fun to just put some yarn on the needles without any earthly idea about how it might turn out. Knitting without a pattern is so freeing sometimes. (And for this, I can thank Elizabeth Zimmerman. Reading The Opinionated Knitter has set me free.)

We are very busy these days making calls and sending off emails in order to finalize reservations and rail passes for our June trip to Norway. I've had to come to terms with the fact that this will in no way be a yarn vacation. There is really no wiggle room in our budget or in our luggage since we'll be carting everything on our backs from ferry to train. But maybe I'll be able to pick up some sock yarn or a cool pattern.

Speaking of socks ...

I finished Socks for Veronik on the ride up to Vermont (somewhere around the Merritt Parkway).


Pattern: Socks for Veronik by Mona Schmidt
Yarn: Spirit Trail Fiberworks 100% superwash Merino
Needles: US 1s
Notes: Loved the pattern. Loved the yarn. I've washed and worn these 4 times in the past 2 weeks. I would wear them everyday if I could. I will most certainly buy more of this yarn at MDSW.

And now, back to travel plans and enjoying the gorgeous 70 degree day ...

Fear Not!

Fear not fellow knitters, I only had to endure a few short hours with no knitting on the needles. (Breathe deeply Madge, I survived! Never again, never again ...)

So here are some FOs as yet unposted.




Pattern: Hiiumaa Socks from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Trekking pro natura (75% New Wool, 25% bamboo) in 1501 (white) and 1503 (brown)
Needles: US 1s
Notes: It's easier to tote around socks when you are only working from 1 skein of yarn! Well, that was the only excuse I could come up with for not knitting these quickly. They were the BackBou's Xmas present which I am happy to report he loves. One minor complaint is that they slouch a bit much for him (I like the slouch myself). Maybe some ribbing changes and calf shaping would have helped with that.


Pattern: Maine Morning Mitts from The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes
Yarn: Valknitz (55% mohair, 45% wool)
Needles: US 5s
Notes: Quick and easy. When I'm not wearing these, the BackBou is. I'm planning on making some for the girls as well. I get compliments on these constantly. The yarn is really beautiful and warm. Our new Sunday activity is ice skating and these keep me warm while still allowing me to lace up the skates.


Pattern: Syncopated Caps from Interweave Knits (Summer 2007) by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Plain & Fancy Sheep & Wool Co., natural white and magenta variegated
Needles: US 2s
Notes: I intended this to be for myself, but I noticed early on that my gauge was (duh) incredibly different in the colorwork and in the round. So I didn't stop (because that would have been prudent and sensible) but thought, "oh hecko, it's sure to fit someone ..." And so it does. R now has a new hat! This pattern rocks -- I loved knitting it and could barely put it down.



I am going to the yarn store today to buy another colorway to go with my remaining white so that I can have one as well! What can I say about this yarn other than every knitter should have some in the stash or on the needles.

And I will encourage, by force if necessary, Liz and Mo to pick some up when we see each other this Sunday. That's right! An XRK summit in Richmond! Huzzah!

Wear Report - Sundara Socks

You've surely seen Theresa's new feature on her blog, Time Machine Tuesdays? She is updating previously finished knits, on how frequently she wears them, and how the garments in general and the yarns in particular have held up. Theresa is encouraging other knit bloggers to do the same on their blogs, so that we can share each other's collective wisdom about the habits of our knits in the wild. I'd been considering posting Wear Reports myself, so with Theresa's encouragement, perhaps it will induce more frequent, less-just-the-FOs blogging.

Wear Report: Sundara Superwash Merino Sock
Pattern: Calla Lilly Socks (Ravelry link), knitted in June 2006, original blog post here, flickr page here.

I'm going to start right in with the bad news. These socks have worn holes in both heels. I was a beginning sock knitter when these were made; I didn't have a lot of socks in the rotation at the time and they saw fairly regular use. The first hole came rather quickly, within months., so I darned it and relegated them to very light wear. The second one only got its hole in the last month and is set to be repaired soon.

Now that I have knit many more pairs of socks, it makes sense that a soft merino with no nylon would be more suitable for light wear only, but I didn't really know that when I first knit these. I also want to point out that both socks wore out along the purl seam that bisects the heel. This Welsh Heel construction was a lovely design choice, but I have to wonder if this created a weaker point in the fabric, or maybe just a convenient seam for the worn stitches to run. I haven't made other socks with a welsh heel, so I won't make a generalization. Just an observation.

The good news about this sock is that the amazing colors that Sundara is known for are still vibrant and true, and that there has been minimal felting, pilling and shrinking. I do carefully handwash these socks in Eucalan and hang them to dry, and would recommend careful laundering, but I was pleased to see that the colors did not run or fade, and that the socks did not become a mass of pills and felt like other non-nylon merinos.

I have other Sundara socks that have held up better, again, with light wear. They are far too pretty to throw away, and the first darned sock is holding up beautifully. The holes in the heels of these socks are emblems of wisdom learned the hard way, that unless the yarn has nylon, wear the socks gently and infrequently!

I'd love to read other wear reports on other blogs, so please do let me know if you plan on revisiting any of your knits for a quick review!

Clean Slate 2008

It has been the joy of family and the magic of Christmas with young children that has kept me from blogging. I did have a wonderfully blessed Christmas with my family and with Mr S's, and Santa was very good to all of us this year. And while I truly did read many of your wonderful Christmas messages and received all your wonderful wishes with a warm heart, I was just to busy to leave many comments on anyone else's blog. I do hope all of you had a lovely Christmas!

I don't know why I care, but I decided to try to finish all of the WIPs before the new year begins. I am generally not one to leave projects to linger, and am fairly disciplined about finishing or frogging. I have a lot of projects in the queue ready to be cast on, but I decided to just focus my energies for a couple of weeks to finish up, and I think I am going to reach my goal. My current sweater (which I haven't even mentioned on the blog) has about a quarter of the sleeve to go, my colorwork mittens are blocking, and my longest lingering project ever, my New England socks, are finally done!

Pattern: New England socks by Nancy Bush from Knitting on the Road
Yarn and Needles: Koigu KPM, Knit Picks US 1.5 (2.5mm) circular

Notes: These socks were my quiet vacation knitting, sitting on the front porch of our cabin in the Maine woods. They were a part of my summer dalliance with Nancy Bush, and the final remnant of my flirtation with the Single Sock Liberation Movement.

I got through the first sock this summer, but when I first made the second sock, I noticed I had gauge issues when I was about 80% finished. I had swapped out my Knit Picks 1.5 needle for my Addi Lace 1.5, and it really did make a noticeable difference in my gauge. These socks are not difficult to knit, but they do require you to refer to the chart for every other row, so it took my Clean Slate Resolution to muster up the urge to finally finish them. It's my first highly patterned sock pattern, and I'm not sure if you'll see many more in my future. I like to knit socks because they are portable and mindless, and these socks were neither.

They are a little bigger than I prefer, but I hope a few washes will shrink them slightly. I'll give you an update in 2008, for a newly planned feature on the blog, where I'll post updates and wear reports on various knitting projects.

Time Crunch

I am feeling the time crunch of the holidays already. I am still unpacking, doing laundry and generally rebooting our life from our Thanksgiving week in Florida, and already and my calendar is packed with commitments and I haven't even had time to draw up the first of many holiday to-do lists. To buy, to bake, to send, to order, to decorate, to schedule, to do....

I have a pair of finished socks to show you, but no time to plan a clever photo shoot, so you'll have to content yourself with these action shots, taken with the self-timer as I emptied the washing machine and unloaded the groceries. Luckily, they are simple stockinette socks, so they are hardly worth a post on their own anyway. They're knit with Austermann Step yarn, and yes, Ann, they are identical to the pair you made this summer.


There's not even much time to knit, but what little knitting time I do have is dedicated to these little mittens and hats for the advent calendar. Only 4 more to go, plus some sort of cord from which to hang them all. And then all 24 to embroider, to pom, to hang, to fill. By tomorrow night.



Will I make it?

Three Things

1. My brother-in-law and his family's home survived the San Diego fires in tact. Their neighborhood is messy, but still standing, making them some of the lucky ones. They wisely left town for a planned trip to Chicago to get out of the smoky air and let things settle down, but should hopefully be getting back to normal soon. Thanks so much for your messages of concern and caring.

2. I made some kind of ugly socks. I love the yarn, I love the pattern, but the pooling! Ach! The pooling! I am pretty tolerant about pooling, but these socks pooled in a pretty ugly way.

I won't be frogging them, as they are innocuous enough when worn with jeans and shoes:

Hidden under jeans, tucked into the clogs.
Maybe an occasional flash of sock when the legs are crossed...

But, and prepare yourself here, when viewed on their own, you see what I mean. The slash of green across the foot. Ewww.

Shudder!

Pattern: Undulating Ribs by Ann Budd from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Claudia's Handpainted Yarns, Donna's Favorite
Needles: Addi Lace US 1.5/2.5mm

Notes: These socks were uneventful and simple, and the yarn is just wonderful to knit, but this is the perfect example of a really pretty, autumnally neutral colorway gone bad. Luckily, the ugly part is pretty much confined to the foot, so they are totally wearable with shoes. Thanks, Claudia's, for pooling where it won't be noticed!

This is my first time using Claudia's yarn, and I am really pleased so far. Of course, I'll have to see how they hold up to wear and washing, but I am really looking forward to using the other skeins I have in the stash.

3. Nova, I don't know whether to kiss you or curse you, but my family sincerely thanks you! That's some damn good pie.

Seasonal Forecast

This week has me thinking about seasons. The weirdly warm weather. The pitiful Eagles season. Wildfire season in Southern California has seen my dear brother-in-law and his family evacuated from their home, and the fires are frighteningly close. At this point, they believe their house is still there (the answering machine picked up!) but they have no idea when they will be able to return, and what conditions they and their neighbors in Rancho Bernardo will face.

For reasons beyond my understanding, my son calls any patterned sock I make him "Season Socks." When I knit him socks, I always use these printed Regias or Jawolls, which take only one ball for a little boy's feet. I finished these a few days ago, and he was so delighted to have another pair of Season Socks.

I know the calendar only ackowledges four seasons, but in our family, we have many seasons beyond the official four. Like Vermonters with their Mud Season in the Spring, we observe Nut Season in the Fall.

Every year, my husband haunts the produce departments of the grocery store, eagerly anticipating the return of the mixed, whole, in-the-shell nuts. From the end of October through January, The World's Ugliest Nut Bowl takes up permanent residence on our coffee table, and the couch is sprinkled with the leavings of his nightly nut-cracking sessions. With every nut he jauntily tosses into his maw, he is just in pure, hog heaven.



For a long time, I fought the nut bowl. It offended my sense of style, even though it was reproduced at Restoration Hardware. The nut dust everywhere drove me nuts (sorry), and my husband, for all his wonderful qualities, is not so good about the sweeping up. I purchased lovely nut bowl alternatives, rattan trays and little hand held vacuums to address the crumbles. But Mr S was attached to his vintage, bought-at-a-yard sale nut bowl. He really loved it! So, like lots of things as our marriage endures, I let it go. I embraced The Nut Bowl in all its messy glory into the family decor. I granted him total freedom from nagging and irritation as he enjoyed this simple pleasure, and we are both happier for it.

Last night, in celebration of the first night of Nut Season, we presented my husband with gift wrapped bag of mixed nuts inside, and after dinner, we conducted a taste test of all the different nuts (everyone seems to like filberts the best) and tried using all his different crackers. It made an ordinary Monday night feel like a celebration.

I couldn't help but think of my California family, leaving their home in the early morning, having been ordered to leave and immediately drive to safety. They took their family photos, their hard drive, their passports and insurance papers, blankies, teddy bears, all those irreplaceable things. They took my two nephews and drove to safety, leaving everything else behind. We're OK, they said. We have all that really matters. The rest of it is just stuff.

But as I fished the nut bowl out of the closet, I thought of all those other things, special things that you just couldn't save, for lack of time, space, and practicality. That nut bowl is a thing, yes, but it tells a small part of our love story for our children. It tells about compromise and accepting someone's quirks. Its about enjoying your spouse enjoying themselves. The nut bowl says something about who my husband is, someone who really likes his tacky stuff and doesn't care who thinks its tasteful.

My daughter and I regularly go up to my mom's attic and just root around up there. She loves to pick out books from my old collection of paperbacks, and she loves my old dolls. Even though I could just give her the whole lot, I let her pick just one each time. I love watching her look carefully at each one, carefully weighing which one she wants this time. It lets me relive each doll and its story, and she gets to learn something new about my life story each time.

I showed her my father's collection of goofy pants this weekend. She was so young when he died. She could see his holiday cords (you know, the pants with the turkeys embroidered on them? Penguins playing golf? Red lobsters on white chinos? My dad rocked them ALL!) and now, when she imagines her grandfather, she knows what kind of pants he wore. I got to tell her a little story about my dad, and I got to relive a cherished, happy memory.

I even found a poster that CurlyPurly made for me (check out the date) and she and I had a good laugh this week.
In my house, I have the clothes my kids wore home from the hospital. I have my husband's grandfather's kippah and tallit. I have my preserved wedding bouquet. I have a beautiful note my father wrote to my husband and a letter my daughter wrote to the tooth fairy. I have a painting my husband and I bought on our honeymoon from a street artist in Montmartre.

We all joke about saving our stash, but what about all these these things we lovingly knit? Our lace shawls? Our cashmere sweaters? Our handmade quilts or our heirloom linens? Is that just stuff?

So far, the news reports from California suggest that loss of human life has been gratefully minimal. And yes, it is just stuff. But as stashers, creators and collectors, we must not trivialize the monumental loss this represents. There are countless families that have lost their irreplaceable stuff, but they are holding onto each other, knowing that despite having lost everything, what really matters is each other.

I'm just deeply sad for all of them, and still fearful for my family out there. Please keep all the firefighters and families in Southern California in your hearts and prayers until these fires have been put out.

Socktobering

I very deliberated made reasonable goals for Socktober: a pair of socks for each of the kids, a second New England sock, and perhaps starting an new pair of Whitbys or Firecracker socks in a nice autumnal yarn. Progress has been decidedly mixed, though, and I am am blaming my monthlong sock hiatus.

I've made a very promising start with this pair for Rosebud, cranking them out in a matter or days. However, I made these socks from the cuff down, since I could not manage to properly execute a magic-cast on to make them from the toe up. They are a perfectly serviceable pair of socks, but I have a maddening amount of leftover yarn. I struggled with gauge for this yarn, Filatura di Crosa Maxime Print, which claims to be a DK, recommending a 5spi on a US4 needle on the ball band. No freakin' way. I may be a loose knitter, but at 5spi, the fabric was way too loose. I went down to a 3.0mm and got went with 7spi to achieve a firm fabric for socks for a little girl. They could have even been knit a little firmer.

With one success under my belt, I immediately cast on for The Deal of the Century $3 Regia socks for Pepe, in a seemingly nice autumnal colorway. How did I forget that deeply discounted sock yarn generally means super fugly sock yarn? This yarn has a very weird color combination, but Pepe loves them, he is four, so who cares, right? They are the perfect simple stockinette sock for sitting at soccer practice or in the carpool lane.



From the photo above, it seems like I have made a lot of progress on completing my second New England sock, but that sock-in-progress has been completely frogged due to a wild gauge fluctuation from the first to the second sock. It seemed I forgot to use the same needle for the second sock. A 1.5mm Addi Lace is not a 1.5 mm Knit Picks Options, and it showed by a whole stitch per inch. I think these socks are going into the penalty box for a bit or two until I work up the energy to focus again on such a complex sock.

Instead, I'll focus on Pepe's sock, my growing Tree Jacket, and maybe even take Nova's advice and just recklessly wind some sock yarn.

Single Skein September

I'm a big fan of Stash & Burn, the podcast hosted by Jenny and Nicole. While the original premise of the podcast was all things stash-related, they have branched out into interviews and really useful content about knitting, while stash remains a unifying motif. I listen to quite a few knitting podcasts, and I think theirs is among the most substantive, while still not taking themselves too seriously. Their episode about modifying patterns, for example, is a must-listen for all sweater knitters. Jenny and Nicole have a wonderful rapport, and listening to them is like having two passionate, knowledgeable knitters joining your knitting group. And really, any podcast that uses Sleater-Kinney for their theme song is for me.

Recently, they have announced a stash burning contest, encouraging listeners to knit up those single skeins in their stash. While I am not much for entering contests, I have been inspired to make dub next month Single Skein September. There are a bunch of single-skein projects ready in the stash, and because my sock-knitting keeps bumping them from the top of the to-knit list, I'll be taking a month-long hiatus from knitting socks and making my small, portable projects things like hats, mittens, scarves, etc. As I have said before, I am not overly stressed about my stash and its size or content, but sometimes, I like giving myself a framework with which to choose projects. I've wanted to knit a beret and a pair of Fetchings for quite some time, and that time is now!

Luckily, I finished this pair of socks just in time!


Pattern: Roza's Socks by Grumperina, IK Spring 2007
Yarn & Needles: Fleece Artist Sea Wool (Thanks, Ann!), US2
Mods: None
Notes: While I don't think this was the perfect pairing of yarn and pattern, I am pleased with these socks. The brioche rib is super-stretchy, and combined with the thicker yarn and larger needle, I ended up with socks that are a little too loose. I do, however, love this yarn and love this pattern. The pattern is super-speedy and simple, and the yarn is just smashingly squishy and soft. The colors are intense and luscious, all deep roses and light browns. You'll see me using both this yarn and pattern again, just likely not in this combination.

That's the last pair of socks you're likely to see around here for a little while, except maybe a one-skein leftover pair for the Rosebud. Care to join me for Single Skein September? Care to share your favorite single skein projects? Leave a comment!

Rules

I learned to knit as a kid, but I picked up the needles for good in the late summer 6 years ago. The longer I knit, the more I like to discard knitting rules I used to make for myself.

• I used to buy yarn for one project at a time. Now, I stash gleefully and without guilt.
• I used to knit one project at a time. Now I have several WIPs going at once.
• I used to knit one pair of socks at a time, dutifully casting on and finishing the second sock before starting a new pair. Now, I might have two or three pairs going at any time.

Roza's Sock in Fleece Artist Sea Wool, New England Sock in Koigu KPM

I've enjoyed my summer dalliances with both Nancy Bush and the Single Sock Liberation Movement, but its getting in the way of my overall production. The recent cool weather has me hankering for sweaters, shawls, mittens, and hats. And finished pairs of socks. So while I won't be making any more rules, I think I am going to have to renew my focus and get some projects finished.

A Fancy Gentleman

Nothing says I love you like a pair of wool socks on a 90 degree day.


Pattern: Gentleman's Fancy Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by my crush, Nancy Bush
Yarn & Needles: Brooks Farm Acero, Everwood colorway
3.0mm needle (US 2.5)
Pattern Mods: I skipped the calf shaping called for in the pattern, and cast on 72 stitches and knit straight from there. The pattern is sufficiently stretchy and fits over Mr S's calves just fine.

Acero is a a new offering from Brooks Farm, the site of my most intemperate purchase at MDSW. I was attracted to the muted, masculine colors of the yarn, and the fact that it was clearly a sport weight sock yarn (Mr S's size 13s only gets sport weight socks). I was also intrigued by the unique fiber content (wool/silk/viscose) and knew that Mr S would love the silky texture and the look of the rustic, manly sock.

I found knitting with the yarn to be a bit splitty on my super-sharp needles, but I got used to it, and the final object is truly worth it. I've read bloggers elsewhere who say that the yarn isn't stretchy enough for socks, but that isn't my experience here. Perhaps I stumbled upon a great combination of pattern and gauge; I'd avoid simple stockinette for sure. I am also curious about how the sock will wear over time. I imagine that the silk and viscose content strengthen the yarn, and there is no evidence of fuzzing on these socks at all.

Mr S gave these socks his seal of approval, and declared them his best-fitting, most comfortable socks yet. The downside of knitting sport weight socks is that is can be hard to fit them into shoes, but these socks fit snugly on his feet and don't feel quite as thick as some of the other socks I have made for him. I have another skein in a more solid acorn brown that was intended for a scarf for him, but perhaps he needs another pair of socks!

Bad Week for Knitting, Good Week for Dogs

I've been neglectful of my knitting. (Is that proper grammar? It sounds a bit wiggy. Anyhoo ...) I've had finished socks sitting around for days just waiting for the ends to be sewn up and my Scarf with No. 20 Border has been sitting in limbo. I've also got false starts for a number of projects just lying around. "Why is that?" you may ask. This is why ...



Our new 8 month old dog, Luna, adopted from GRREAT. Named after this (of course) but also her (she's a brilliant character). My kids named her after her because in a few months we will be adopting a cat to be named Stella. (Aren't they clever children?) I will spare you all the intimate details of how much we love her and how she has fearlessly rid out backyard of those awful pinecones. We're just so happy to have her in our family!



And here's an FO to report as well ...



Pattern: Widdershins by Brooke Chenoweth Creel
Yarn: Austermann Step
Needles: US 1s
Notes: I still love the Widdershins pattern although after reading Nova's post about her toe ups, I'm going to try out Wendy's basic pattern. I used my typical suspended bind off for one of the socks, but then read about the modified Russian bind off. So I used that for the second sock to compare. I love it. I will use this on all my future toe up socks! Why? Because I seem to bind off tightly and because I like a stretchy top to my socks.

I enjoyed knitting with this yarn. I made short socks for myself so that I can get a kid's pair out of the leftovers! They will be wonderful this fall and winter ... Will it ever be cold again? Really?

Socks and Rocks

I have returned from Maine only to be buried in a week's worth of scummy laundry and an empty larder. I'll return to posting later this week, but in the meantime, my sister, the World's Most Deserving Recipient of Handknits, has prepared the post below. An occasional guest-poster on XRK, she is once again providing the Muggle's Voice, extoling the handknit socks in action.

And don't miss her last statement -- she finally is ready to join the cult learn to knit!

As many of you know, I'm in a master's program for Environmental Studies at UPenn. Part of this fabulous program is a class called Rocky Mountain Geology and Ecology, which could also be entitled: Oh My God, What Am I Doing With This Desk Job. Basically, I went out gallivanting in the Rocky Mountains in Montana and Wyoming, and have had in my company two pair of Big Sis's socks along for the ride.

Pair #1 you know well: Trekking Blah. Which brings me to the first order of business: A confession. Yes, XRK readers, I have gone on record as a No-Socks-With-Sandals kind of gal, but alas, here is my (not really) shame laid bare:



I found a darn good reason: a cold, 8000-foot Rocky Mountain summer evening, with a cold delicious beer, after a long, hot hike. Guilty as charged, and not feeling bad about it at all.

But the real point here is to wax poetic about my new Tofutsies. So beautiful are they. You know this from our pre-trip shoot in Avalon, NJ, earlier this summer. They are incredibly silky, the colors pool delightfully, and they fit like a dream. Sis made them a wee bit longer in comparison to TB, and the heels hit me just right this time.

The first field test of the Tofutsies came on July 4th. My classmates and I struck out to the Glacier Lake trailhead off Route 212 in Montana to climb a mere two miles... and just shy of 1500 vertical feet. It's a gorgeous, eye-poppingly beautiful, lung-burning, exhilirating hike which I highly recommended if you're out that way.

For any pair of socks, this is a serious test. What did I find? I didn't even notice them. Hence, perfection. They didn't rub funny or bunch or get soggy or any such terrible thing.

And they made a fine picture at the top of the world, or so it seemed to be:


For the remaining ten odd days in the wild, I put both Tofutsies and Trekking Blah through the worst possible washing and drying regimen imaginable. I washed them repeatedly in a sink at my mountain camp, with water from Howell Gulch creek and a bar 'o soap. They dried on a wooden railing in the dry alpine air, with rocks as clothespins.

I wore them repeatedly, day in, day out, for two hard weeks of trekking along the Montana/Wyoming border. I caught grasshoppers with my bare hands for hours. I saw bison, wolves and grizzlies in Yellowstone. I climbed ridges and valleys and benches and ditches and glacial moraines and creeks. I took them on and off for dips in swimming holes of freezing water and boiling springs. I pranced amongst alpine wildflowers. I drank at the Grizzly Bar in Roscoe, Montana. I bet on racing pigs in Bear Creek. I saw men chase wild horses at the rodeo, ride bucking broncos bareback as storms charged across the plains 50 miles away in plain view. I answered a cowbell for dinner.

And dear readers, these socks, both pairs, for all these activities - they totally, totally rock.

Not one pull, none too much in the pilling department, no residual smell, no weird blisters, nothing. Nothing but good that is. I have relegated the commercial socks of this world to the dustbin of history and say to you now: Never hike in anything except perfectly fashioned handmades. By Liz, preferably of course.




Now if only she would make me two dozen odd pair more...

Or, if only I could knit. Hey Sis, how's about a sock lesson?!?

Cheers XRK friends - til next we adventure again!

Vacation Knitting

The family and I are headed to Maine on Friday, and we are in the throes of vacation planning and packing. First, on the enthusiastic recommendation of my sister who called me from the top of a mountain in Montana to tell me how much she loved them, I furiously knit myself a pair of TOFUtsies socks to wear while hiking.

They are a bit too small; the heel flap is too shallow, but they will do. After spending a year perfecting my toe-ups, I'm working on my cuff-down technique, and I still need some more practice. TOFUtsies is a very thin yarn, so next time I'll stick with a US1/2.25 mm needle and cast on more stitches and make my heel flap longer. I do love the silky feel of these socks, so you can expect to see more simple TOFUtsies from me.

Once I had the appropriate footwear packed, my attention turned to what knitting to pack. We'll be staying in a pond-side cabin in the Maine woods, with several days spent in the surrounding Acadia/Schoodic regions. I'll have a plane ride, some good long car rides, and hopefully, some time knitting pond-side as well.

I always travel with socks, and of course, I had to bring my summer crush, Nancy Bush, with me. Predictably, I'll be knitting the New England Socks from Knitting on the Road, corny as it may be. The dilemma was what yarn to choose. A lacy pattern calls for a solid or mostly-solid, so here were the candidates:

Lobster red Spirit Trail :: Leafy green Gems Opal :: Watery blue Koigu

You'll have to see the winner when I return, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out which one I chose.

Much of this trip will be spent in the car, meandering up Route 1, going back and forth between the cabin and Acadia. I cannot admire the scenery while hunched over a lace chart, so I will need a simple knit as well. Tomato is coming along, now being knit on smaller needles.

I am a chronic overpacker, but as the chief packer for the entire family, I am trying to break myself of this habit. I think stopping at two knitting projects seems like a good place to start. Surely a pair of socks and an entire sweater should keep my needles occupied for a week?

See you when I get back!